UPDATE: Aubrey Huff placed on disabled list with anxiety disorder

Manager Bruce Bochy said the Giants have placed Aubrey Huff on the 15-day disabled list with an anxiety disorder, finally spelling out why the 35-year-old first baseman and outfielder abruptly left the team. Bochy said Huff texted him Monday morning and said he had to go home to Tampa, Fla.

The Giants purchased the contract of infielder Joaquin Arias to replace Huff.

“Obviously, we’re putting Huff on the DL. The reason is, he had an episode of anxiety,” Bochy said. “He’s gotten some treatment and he’ll continue to get treatment. He’s going to meet us in San Francisco when we get back, but we can’t keep going short.”

I just texted Huff and asked if he cared to comment. He said he will address the subject in San Francisco when he returns Friday or Saturday.

Before I continue this story, I need to disclose something. I have struggled with whether to say this publicly, and how to do it, but this gives me a good opening. Since 2009 I have been treated for depression, in therapy and medicinally, and continue to be treated. Many awful things happened to me and people around me in a very short time, and my mental health was affected. Anxiety and panic attacks were part of it.

I say this, then, from experience. Everybody will have an opinion about what set this off, but you can’t know, and it’s possible Huff doesn’t know. Sometimes a panic attack just happens.

Remember, Huff has gone through a lot in his life, including his father being murdered when Aubrey was 7. Huff’s career has stalled, and he has made many comments (usually in jest) about the end of his baseball days. Saturday’s episode at second base had to be embarrassing. There also must be personal issues that remain undisclosed, too. It’s foolish to try to play psychoanalyst in a blog or a living room and try to pick a cause.

Bochy was asked if Huff’s anxiety attack could be related to baseball or personal issues. He said, “I don’t know if he knows. It could be both.”

Fortunately, we live in an era in which athletes can address these issues without ridicule. The Reds’ Joey Votto went on the DL with anxiety issues following his father’s death in 2009. He won the National League MVP a year later. Pitchers Justin Duchscherer and Zach Grienke also have publicly dealt with this.

“These players, they deal with different pressures of life, whether it’s home, personal or on the ballfield,” said Bochy, acknowledging he has dealt with a player’s anxiety before.

Meanwhile, Arias likely will start Wednesday’s series finale at shortstop. Bochy said he plans to give a day off to Brandon Crawford and Emmanuel Burriss because of how much they have played, so Ryan Theriot likely will start, too.